


Quotes

by mattheb



Category: No Fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-05 03:47:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11569650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mattheb/pseuds/mattheb





	1. Chapter 1

Not a lot of vampires who go by the name Xerosis, though, are there?" Harry replied, an unamused smile touching his eyes.  
  
Andromeda's eyes widened. "You know that monster?" she breathed.  
  
Harry cocked his head to one side. "Monster?" he wondered in a child-like voice. "What is a monster but the face of man?"  
  
"L'homme n'est ni ange ni bête; et le malheur veut que qui veut faire l'ange fait la bête," Luna quoted. "Blaise Pascal."  
  
Andromeda frowned at her. "Wait, what?"  
  
"It's a quote from a French mundane, Blaise Pascal," Harry offered. " 'Man is neither angel nor beast; and the misfortune is that he who would act the angel acts the beast.' " He turned to Luna. "I didn't know you knew French."  
◇◇◇  
There are two types of people who go into a crucible: the ones who grow stronger from the experience and survive it and the ones who die because they cannot handle the aftermath. But what few of them understand is that there's a third type of person. They are the ones who learn to love the fire; they chose to stay in their crucible because it's easier to embrace the pain when it's all you know anymore and right now, Harry, I would say that you are somewhere between all three…  
◇◇◇  
Soon everyone was gone, and Harry had nearly forgotten about Snape until the sound of the mirror sliding open hit his ears. The man looked relatively more relaxed than was usual, and he smiled nervously at him, only now realizing that he very much concerned as to what the professor thought of his teaching. There was approval in those dark eyes when he met them, and he tried not to let the pride he felt swelling up inside show on his face.  
  
"You did well." The man smirked. "Five points to Gryffindor." Harry's jaw dropped, and the other slipped past him and out of the room without a word. Snape had never, not once in the time he had attended Hogwarts, awarded points to Gryffindor. He let out a whoosh of breath and then headed to the cushions.  
  
He needed to sit down.  
◇◇◇  
Harry stood nervously outside Severus' office just after Sunday breakfast. He stared at the dark wooden door uncertainty, not knowing if he should knock or walk away, and still wondering how he had let his feet talk him into coming here. Thus far, the man had proven himself to be perfectly deserving of his trust, yet he couldn't keep his mind from returning to the years previous. Then he paused. For all the horrible ways in which Severus had treated him, he had still looked out for him. He had been, perhaps not a knight in shining armor, but an irritable dragon ready to snatch him away from harm's grasp. Even when he had despised Harry, he had still protected him.  
◇◇◇  
He deserved it, of course, but there was no one quite as capable of ripping a person's self esteem into tiny pieces, then setting them on fire and pissing on the ashes, in the way that Severus could. So, with worry regarding the coming meeting, and the next day of school, Harry fell into fitful sleep.  
◇◇◇  
"There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across... However, these three brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway along it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure."  
  
"And Death spoke to them." Harry paused, but Scorpius was staring at the book, and the slightly moving picture there of three men on their bridge, with Death, looking not unlike a dementor, standing with them, in fascination. He continued. "He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him."

"So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a w-wand," He paused again, a chill going down his spine, and then continued on. "more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother."  
  
"Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone," He grit his teeth. "from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him the stone would have the power to bring back the dead."  
  
"And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility." The animagus took a deep breath.  
  
"Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death's gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination."  
  
"The first brother traveled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible."  
  
"That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand, and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat. And so Death took the first brother for his own."  
  
"Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him."  
  
"Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world," He hesitated again, and then went on. "she did not truly belong there and suffered. FInally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her. And so Death took the second brother for his own."  
  
"But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life."  
◇◇◇  
Harry had his moment to think now, so he stopped casting and flew upward towards the domed ceiling, twisted, and with a well-placed sticking charm he stood there upside-down, the cloak still activated and the wings coming half around him. If anyone could have seen him, then he imagined he would have resembled a very large bat.  
  
Severus would be so proud.  
◇◇◇  
Harry winced as he tried to imagine what sort of punishment Dobby would give himself over that. Would he end up beheaded like the elves at Grimmauld Place? Was it possible to behead yourself with magic?  
  
"Harry Potter will get it for Harry Potter" Harry said firmly. "I don't want Dobby to get punished."  
  
Dobby burst into tears. "Harry Potter is a great wizard! Dobby will protect him!"  
  
Crack!  
  
Dobby was gone. Harry stared at the wet spot on his shirt.  
  
"My first death threat" he muttered. "I didn't even make it to Hogwarts first this time around."

◇◇◇

Finally the meal was done and Albus made his annual welcoming speech. This one included a warning to all the students to stay away from the third floor unless they wanted to die a horrible death. That wasn't sure to bring about disaster at all – Noo, of course not. It was never a bad idea to tell children where not to go, via threat of danger and adventure. Severus would be surprised if they didn't have at least one or two horribly maimed Gryffindors by the end of the week.  
  
They'd probably be identical, and have red hair.  
  
◇◇◇  
  
War ruined you, Harry brooded. War broke your heart, and broadened your mind. War made you do things you couldn't imagine; commit murders, witness Death, and fight battles that you'd rather not fight. War ingrained a deep paranoia, it shrunk your stomach, and forced you to become a blooming insomniac, despite the way your eyes begged to droop and your body yearned for a few hours of peace.  
  
Your brain never shut up, thoughts and emotions coming unbidden in the darkness of night. You imagined shapes in the shadows, voices in the wind, a hand brushing against your shoulder, even when no one was there. Your own reflection startles you- this Harry learned earlier that evening when he had taken the time to have his first real shower. You stared into the face of a corpse, red-rimmed eyes, shoulders slumped, blood stained on your brow.  
  
◇◇◇  
  
If you can pin the blame on someone else, do it," said Severus, quoting an unofficial motto of the Slytherin house.  
  
Or as Gabriel had made an impassioned speech one night when some of the first years had gotten hit by the Marauders...  
  
"We are the Slytherin house! We stand up for our own, because no one else will! We are sneaky, back stabbing bastards who will only help others if there is something in it for us, and damn proud of it!"  
  
And with that one simple speech, Gabriel rallied the entire Slytherin house behind him...because he had hit upon the core feelings of Slytherin.  
  
They were proud to be sneaky back-stabbers who stood up for their own. They weren't ashamed to be cunning or ambitious.  
  
◇◇◇  
  
Harry looked after her with a slight smirk, she was going to be getting an ear full.  
  
After watching her for a moment, he turned to Lucius. "Papa, how are you?"  
  
Lucius took Harry's hand. "I'm fine. You know Poppy. She is such a worry wart that she insists on keeping me over night."  
  
Severus loomed from the other side of the bed, rising from his chair to stand by it's side. "And you will obey her implicitly, or I shall know the reason why." Lucius frowned at him. "Remove that expression from your face. Me likes it not."  
  
Harry shuddered slightly. When Severus started talking like something out of Shakespeare it wasn't good.  
  
◇◇◇  
  
You can’t exactly miss what you don’t know.” Harry shrugged. “It’d be different if I had memories of them, but with nothing but tales of who they used to be, all I can mourn is the idea of them.” Harry looked back up into Anthony’s eyes before continuing, leveling the other boy with a serious expression. “So instead, I’ll mourn for those who did know them and lost a friend, a loved one, a comrade, a . . . a sister. I’ll mourn for the living because the dead have no use for our tears.” Harry finished with a sad smile that was no more than a tightening of his lips.  
  
Again, Harry was reminded of the Godfather imprisoned on a hellish island, a family friend alone and in pain because of a condition he couldn’t help, and a Professor whose weeping wounds refused to heal.

◇◇◇

Retrieving a blank piece of parchment, Xenophilius grabbed a Quill and began transcribing his daughter's words:  
  
"A lost King rises when a Savior falls  
A throne of greatness awaits him within ancient halls  
The Wolf shall bare his throat to him while the Ram shall offer his heart  
And together shall they tear the chains that bind the King apart  
A crown of thorns atop his head and a heart of gold he holds inside  
Shall grant him the strength to come out and make foes run and hide  
Yet beware the wolf lest the stag become the prey  
Lest only Death win the Day  
A lost king rises when a savior falls  
  
◇◇◇  
  
The Heir of the Six approaches  
  
So all of the Darkness take heed  
  
The Heir of the Six approaches  
  
The Light, fall down on your knees.  
  
Of fire, water, earth and sun  
  
Of light and darkness, Evil run  
  
Of all the great that come before  
  
The Heir of the Six shall soon come forth.  
  
Of brav'ry, knowledge, trust, and sly  
  
Of love and hat'r'd, spells shall fly  
  
Of all the great that come before  
  
The Heir of the Six shall soon come forth.  
  
The Heir of the Six approaches  
  
So all of the Darkness take heed  
  
The Heir of the Six approaches  
  
The light, fall down on their knees."  
  
◇◇◇  
  
North's heir shall be taken to his dominion  
  
Where his heritage will manifest itself.  
  
The long forgotten power will wake  
  
And Ice's armies will flock to him.  
  
Traitors will quail before the betrayed  
  
And will be reckoned with.  
  
Voldemort's fate will be decided  
  
by he who holds the Black Rod.  
  
◇◇◇  
  
We hope you liked the beginning of the show  
  
It's time you learnt that Karma's a bitch, Dumbledore  
  
You reap what you sow  
  
◇◇◇  
  
“What once was pure gold, is marred now by lead  
  
Fate’s darling returns, back from the dead  
  
Once saved by love, betrayed by the same  
  
Death’s Master returns, not martyred in vain  
  
His knight takes his place, clad in gold and night  
  
Lost once to death, saved by Fate’s changed design  
  
The Darkness, it writhes and changes its shape  
  
Rising from the depths to fit as His armoured cape  
  
The grey shadow grows long, when Night and Light are wed  
  
What once was pure gold, is marred now by lead”  
  
◇◇◇  
  
No, Luna didn't kidnap Amelia herself. She was too unlucky for that. No, she had Harry use Bella to do that, and Bellatrix is EXACTLY the sort of person who can break into the home of the Head of Magical Law Enforcement during the wee hours and kidnap her.  
  
Getting her not to kill/hurt/harm/maim her is a little more difficult, but can be done with sufficient instructions; something along the lines of "I need her alive and unspoiled" though not those words exactly.  
  
Getting her not to let her victim know who her kidnapper really was adds another wrinkle, but is still within Bella's abilities. That chick is one seriously skilled and dangerous Death Eater! "You want this Ministry Lady to disappear from her house and wake up in another place without any idea how that happened? Fine. I can do that in ways that don't even require an Obliviate."  
  
Oh, and getting Amelia to be unlucky enough to attract Sirius and be forced into a date with him is as simple as causing her to wear that cloak dipped in malaclaw venom.  
  
◇◇◇  
  
To repeat an old phrase: once was bad luck, twice was coincidence, and three times was enemy action.

◇◇◇

Hannah shoved her friend forward, and Susan sidled up, declaring, "You know, with how good you three guys are at fighting, Hannah and I have decided to be healers to back you up!"  
  
Hermione paused a moment to lick her lips in contemplation before saying, "You know, it was a muggle author by the name of Robert A. Heinlein who I believe put it best. He said 'A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, and lastly die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.' "  
  
She busied herself while talking. "In something like an army, where you have large numbers of people but limited time and money for training, specializing makes some sense; you train people more quickly that way, and have enough people to special-task some. But for your own life, your skill set is going to be with you always, so you want it to be as broad as possible. And in a small group like ours we'd best be able to have each of us do everything, just to be better prepared against all contingencies. We have time and money to afford training, but very few people. So in most ways that gives us the reverse situation of an army, and we've got to cram as much skill into our few people as possible. So, by all means become healers, but that won't save you from becoming expert fighters or curse breakers too.  
  
◇◇◇


	2. Harridian

Septimus Regis - Severus Snape. Vanish - August 1st 1995. Appears - July 30 1097. Carries Potions Trunk. (Harry 18)  
  
Pademus Noir - Sirius Black. Vanish - August 3rd 1995. Appears - July 30 1104. Carries Marauder Trunk. (Harry 25)  
  
Thomas Ridel - Tom Marvolo Riddle aka Lord Voldemort. Vanish - August 1st 1995.  
Appears - July 30th 1097. Carries Slytherin Trunk. (Harry 18)  
  
Isabel Arcane - Bellatrix Lestrange. Vanish - August 2nd 1995. Appears - July 30th 1102. Carries Dark Trunk. (Harry 23)  
  
Harridian Jameson Perverall (Merlin Ambrosius) - Harry James Potter. Vanish - July 31st 1995. Appears - July 31st 1094. Carries Beast Trunk and Black Trunk. (Harry 15)  
  
Dobin - Dobby. Vanish - July 31st 1995. Appears - July 30th 1094. In Beast Trunk. (Harry 15)  
  
Lucus, Mariana, and Deakin D'Ark - Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy. Vanish - August 4th 1995. Appears - July 30th 1107. Carries Pureblood Trunk. (Harry 28)  
  
Helena Athens - Hermione Granger. Vanish - August 5th 1995. Appears - July 30th 1111. Carries Rune Trunk. (Harry 32)  
  
Frederick, Gregory, and Robert Griffiths - Fred, George, and Ronald Weasley. Vanish - August 6th 1995. Appears - July 30th 1115. Carry Ward, Inventor and Quidditch Trunks. (Harry 36)  
  
Lilith Lunas  - Luna Lovegood. Vanish - August 7th 1995. Appears - July 30th 1117. Carries Seer Trunk. (Harry 38)  
  
Nathaniel Hawthorne - Neville Longbottom. Vanish - August 8th 1995. Appears - July 30th 1120. Carries Herbology Trunk. (Harry 41)  
  
Romulus Vilkes - Remus Lupin. Vanish - August 9th 1995. Appears - July 30th 1123. Carries Teaching Trunk. (Harry 44)  
  
Lucifer Maddon - Alistair "Mad-eye" Moody. Vanish - August 10th 1995. Appears - July 30th  1127. Carries Paranoia Trunk. (Harry 48)  
  
Melinda McConnell - Minerva McGonagall. Vanish - August 10th 1995. Appears - July 30th 1127. Carries Transfiguration Trunk. (Harry 48)  
  
Lyall Lupum - Fenrir Greyback. Vanish - August 9th 1995. Appears - July 30th 1123. Carries Hunter Trunk. (Harry 44)

Vincent Snape 

Franklin Zachary

Hannah Perverall (marries Harridian when Harry 19)

Lilian Hannah Perverall (born when Harridian is 24)

Alleryian

Vivienne 

All stop aging by 40. Younger by thirty. Keep living in Phoenix Keep until time catches up with itself. All reappear on August 13 1995, 13 days after Harry's Vanish. 3 days after the last Vanish.


End file.
